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(No Model.)

W. E. HARRIS.

' ORE FURNACE. No. 248,740; Patented 001;. 25,1881.

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WVILLIAM E. HARRIS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ORE-FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,740, dated October 25, 1881.

Application filed February 12, 1881.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Furnaces for Roasting Ores, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to furnaces for roasting aurit'erous and argentiferous ores; and it consists in the combination, with a fire-chamber and a roasting-chamber divided from each other by a horizontal partition, which is pro vided with aseries of holes tor communication between the chambers, of a series of hollow formers open atlone end and adapted to be connected with the holes of the partition at such end in an upright position. It also consists in making the hollow formers to taper toward the open end thereof.

This invention is illustrated in the accom panying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows the furnace partly in end view and partly in cross-section. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a detailed perspective view of one of the formers.

Similar lettersindicate corresponding parts.

The letter A designates the fire-chain her, B,

' the roastingchamber; C, the horizontal partition dividing the chambers from each other, and D the formers.

The roasting-chamber A is open at the top for the admission of ore, the same being provided with covers E at that place, and it has also a discharge-opening at one end provided with a door, F.

The firechamber Bis provided witha grate, G, below which is situated the ashpit B, and both the fire-chamber and the ash-pit are provided with a door, H or H, the door of the ash-pit being so arranged that when itis closed the air is shutoff from the ash-pit. From the upper and rear part of the fire-chamber B extends a chimney, I, while from a similar part of the roasting-chamber extends a flue, K, into the chimney, this fine being provided with a damper, L. I

In the horizontal partition 0 are formed holes J, through which the chambers A B may communicate with each other, and with which the formers D are adapted to be connected in an upright position by being fitted into them (No model.)

at one end, as shown. The formersD are hollow and are open at the end designed to be connected with the holes J, which constitutes the lower end thereof, the same being moreover made to taper toward such end.

In the upper portion of the fire-chamber B are arranged air-flues 0,which are respectively provided with a cap, 12, at the outer end, for closing them.

Into the lower portion of the fire-chamberB projects a steam-pipe, Q, which is open at the inner end and provided with a valve, 1", at a suitable point outside of the furnace. i

In applying the apparatus to use the formers D are put into place and ore is iutroducedinto the roasting-chamber A in the form of a pulp, a suitable quantity of salt being mixed therewith to render it capable of caking. A fire is now started on the grate G, the damper L in the roasting-chamber being closed, and the products of combustion passing directly into the chimney I from the tire-chatnber. the fire is fairly under way the door H of the ash-pit is closed to prevent the entrance of air thereto, and then the valve 0' of the steam-pipe is opened, so as to admit steam to the ash-pit beneath the grate, which, being decomposed, increases the heat of the tire to amaterial extent. The amount of steam thus admitted,however, must be so gaged that the fuel is barely moistened, if at all, to avoid putting out the fire. The pulp which is thrown into the roasting chamber A packs closely around the formers D, as indicated in Fig. 2, and the heat from the tire-chamber B passes into the formers at their lower open ends, thus acting on the ore, an'opening being also preferably left at the upper end of the formers, so that the heat may pass directly through them. hen the pulp has been heated a sufficient length of time to form a skin or shell around the formers D, and thus to support itself in the roastingehamber-say about one-half hour-the formers are withdrawn, and in this manner flues D are left in the ore, through which the heat then circulates to complete the roasting operation, the body of the pulp being kept out of direct contact with the fire. The withdrawal of the formers D is obviously facilitated by their peculiar shape, and to further facilitate this act the sides of the formers are lubricated with oil Then or other suitable material before they are placed in position. The damper L in the roastingchamber is opened when the fire ceases to smoke, so that while this chamber is kept free of smoke the spent heat is permitted to pass therefrom directly into the chimney. After the ore has been brought into the sulphate condition it is drawn from the furnace and bathed or washed in hot water until all the base-metal sulphates are thoroughly removed, the same being soluble in hot water. lhe precious metal is then left in a free condition, ready for amalgamation.

I am aware that a furnace for roasting ore has been constructed with a fire-chamber and an ore-chamber connected by air-fines, a horizontal supplemental floor being arranged in the ore-ch amber and provided with a series of holes in which are adapted to be placed the lower ends of a series of solid rods of a length greater than the depth of the ore chamber, which are sustained at their upper ends by iron guides, all insuch manner that, the solid rods being in position, and the ore-chamber charged, and the ore leveled down, the rods can be removed, thereby leavinga number of smallfiues through the body of ore, after which the fireis started and the products of combustion pass through the fines in the ore. A furnace constructed in this manner and having this mode of operation is not my invention, and is not claimed by me. In my structure I employ hollow formers having their lower open ends adapted to be connected with or disconnected from the openings through the horizontal partition which divides the firechamber and roasting-ehamber,whereby the heated air from the fire-chamber can pass directly into the formers, thereby heating the ore adjacent to the formers and forming a skin or shell around the latter, so that when they are removed the flues through the ore will be sustained and retained in their form by such skin or shell.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a furnace for roasting ores, the combination, with a fire-chamber and a roastingchamber dir'ided by a horizontal partition having a series of openings through the same, of a series of hollow formers open at their lower ends and adapted to be connected with or dis connected from the openings through the horizontal partition, substantially as described, whereby the heat from the fire-chamber passes into the formers through thelower open ends, as and for the purposes herein set forth.

Ina furnace for roasting ores, the combination, with a tire-chamber and a roastingchamber divided by a horizontal partition having a series of openings through it, of a series of removable and replaceable hollow formers open at their lower ends and taperingon their exterior toward said lower open ends, substantially as described, said formers being adapted to be connected with or disconnected from the openin s through the horizontal partition, as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two sul scribing witnesses.

WILLIAM E. HARRIS.

Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, E. F. KAsTENHUBER. 

